Longshot

A quick tangent here. Just finished the book Longshot by Lance Allred. Allred was a 24 year-old, 6th-year senior who entered the 2005 draft out of Weber State where he played for 2 seasons after transfering from Utah. Allred came out as a strong rebounding center with few other skills. I remember him coming out and I doubt I had much good to say about him other than he could board.
His career stats will ultimately become just a blip in NBA history. But as a writer Allred is pretty darn impressive. His story takes him from a childhood growing up in a polygamist cult through many different rungs on the basketball ladder all the way to the NBA, all while dealing with deafness and afflicted with OCD. The story is told in such an easy and humorous tone that you almost forget what an amazing journey it was.
While Allred's atypical childhood makes for an interesting read, Longshot really picks up for the hoops fan when he first gets into basketball. Allred does a terrific job detailing the ups and downs of a professional basketball player chasing the NBA dream. While reading Allred's story you realize that so many things can derail a marginal prospect on his way to NBA. That it takes luck, timing, good situations in college and perseverance above all else to reach the point where you might get a 10-day contract.
Longshot is a quick, easy read that's well worth the effort.